Envelop moistener and sealer.



W. A. SHOLTS. ENVELOP MOISTENER AND SEALBR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10, 1911. lggyggn Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

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W. A; SHGULTS. ENYELQB MOISTENBR AND SEALER.

PPmoATIoN FILED APRA, 1911. V

Patented Nov. 5,1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

y@ @mi MM W. A. SHOULTS. ENVELOP MOISTENBR AND SEALER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10, 1911.

' Patented. Nom-5, 1912.

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ATTORNEY.

, W. A. SHOULTS. ENVELOP MOISTENER AND SEALER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1911..

Patented Nov. 5, im?.

5 SHBETS-SEEET 5.

y w www m www fw Uran/440% hereinafter WILLIAM A. SHOULTS, 0F INDANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ENVELOP IVIOISTENER AND SEALER.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

lfatentcd `Nov. 5, 15112.

Application filed April 1Q, 1911. Serial No. 619,983.

"'o 0,1/1 whom it may concern:

l Fig. 15, a fragmentary section on the line Be it known that l, fulmini A. SnoUL'rs, G G in Fig. 2; Fig. 1U, a fragmentary seea citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Envelop llfloistener and Sealer, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to machines that are adapted t-o be used in business otlices or elsewhere for moistening the adhesive sub stance on envelops, and also for sealing the envelops, the invention having reference particlllarly to the general construction as well as various details in moistening and sealing machines.

The object of the'inventio-n is to provide a machine of the above mentioned character that will be composed of relatively few and simple elements, that may be cheaply constructed, and to. provide a moistener and sealer that will be adapted to seal envelops of various sizes and capable of being operated either by hand or other power and be etlicient, rapid, and also durable and economical in use. Y y

rl`he invention comprises principally iv.;- proved moistening apparatus and also novel apparatus for moving the envelops to and from the moistening apparatus, and the invention consists further in the parts and comhimitions and arrangenicnts of parts, as particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of the improved moistener and sealer; Fig. 2, ay front elevation; Fig. 3, an inverted plan; Fig. 4, a rear ele ation'par- Vtially broken away; F 5, a fragmentary vtion on the liuc F- F in Fig. l; Fig. l2, a

fragmentary plan showing the devices for feeding the envelops; Fig. 13, a perspective View of one of the parts of the feeding appa,-

' pratus; Fig. 14, a perspective view of the arm comprising a part of the feeding apparatus;

tion on the line H fl in Fig. 15; Fig. 17, a perspective View of the water fontcomprising part of the moistening apparatus; Fig. 18, a fragmentary section on the line l l in Fig. 16; Fig. 19, a Afragmentary section on the line J J in Fig. ti; Fig. 20, a perspective view of the stand for siujiporting the font; and Fig. 21, a fragmentary section on the line K K in Fig. 2. A

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

A practical embodiment of the invention comprises a suitable table 1 which preferably is metallic so as to be sutlieiently heavy to hold it steadily when in use, 'the table being oblong in plan and provided at its corners with front supporting legs and 2" and rear supporting legs 3 and 3. The table has an upright frame thereony preferably comprising a sill 4t, a'top rail 5, and end posts G and 7 supporting the rail. rlille sill and rail extend longitudinally so as to assist in guiding the envelop. guideplate S is connected to one end of the frame and extends rearwardly approximately at. right angles to the frame and hasI a guide plate 9 formed integrally therewith. which is cured to the forward side ofthe sill f1 and rail 5 for assisting to guide the envelops to the moistening apparatus. The plate 9 has an aperture 10 therein relatively near the plate S. A stop frame comprises a horizontal member 11 and a pest 12, the latter being secured upon the top of the table 1 slightly forward of the plane of the rail The member 11 has a guide rib 13 on its rear side against which the envelop may freely move. A frame member let is secured upon the table near the forward end of the plate 8 and the table is provided with a shaft bearing 15, a shaft 16 being rotatably mounted vertically m the shaft bearing 15and the frame member 111 and has a wheel 17 tixecl= thereon which is provided with a rubber band 18, or the wheel is so constructed as 1to' be adapted to move the envelop withoutfbcing liable to slip in contact therewitltl, the

wheel being arranged at a suitablelmlght so as to not. interfere with the flap ol the en-f velop. A grooved pulley 19 is secured to the lowerI portion of the shaft 16 below the under side of the table. A spring arm ZO is secured to the frame member 11 and extends horizontally past the forward end of the guide plate 8 and opposite the front of the plate 9, and it has a project-ion 21 thereon extendingdownwardly to which a guide plate 22 is secured, the latter extending downward and having a finger 23 thereon that extends approximately toward the post 12 for causing the flap of the envelop to be separated from the back ofthe envelop. The lower portion of the plate 22 and the finger is turned'up to form a flange 24, a portion of which is doubled over against the end of the finger 23 to constitute a portion thereof, the metal of which this is composed being quite thin, and the opposite end portion 24 is flared outward from `the plate 22, so as to spread the flap from the envelop, as the latter moves toward the moistening apparatus.

The table 1 has a guide slot 25 in the rearward portion thereof extending in a plane between the plate 8 and the post 12, and a feed head comprises a base plate 26'and an upright plate 27, the base plate being slidable upon the table above the slot and having a guide rib 28 thereon extending movably into the slot and adapted to be moved slightly in lateral direction, so that the upright plate 27 shall not be guided rigidly. The base plate has a knob 29 thereon whereby the feed head may be retracted by hand. Preferably the table has guide ribs 30 and 30 thereon on which the base plate may slide to move the plate 27 toward or from the rib 13 and the wheel 17. At the rearward portion of the head end of the table a shaft 31 is rotatably mounted in the table and has an arm 32 secured thereto which extends over to the rear side of the plate 27 and has a curved bearing end 33 presenting a convex face against the rear side of the upright plate and in sliding contact there'- with. A collar 34 is rotatable on the shaft 31.' The inner end of a volute spring is secured to the collar by means ot' a lug 3G, and the outer end of the spring is secured to the table by means of a post 37. A dog 3S is pivotally mounted upon the collar and provided with a .spring 39 which normally forces the dog into Contact with a ratchet wheel 40 which is secured to\the shaft 31. The spring is so strained as to force the arm forwardly in order to advance the feed-head, and the tension of the spring may be adjusted by rotating the collar 234 by means of a suitable tool in the desired direction on the .shaft 31 and then permitting the dog and ratchet wheel to hold the collar in the adjusted position. A suitable casing 41 is placed over the spring and secured to .the table 1, the shaft 31 preferably having its upper end journaled in the top of the casing.

Suitable provision is made for preventingr ing 43 and' at its upper end in a journalbearing 44 formed in the rail 5, the lower portion of the shaft having a grooved pulley 45 'fixed thereon below the under side of the table. A wheel 46 is fixed on the shaft relatively near the rail 5 and has a flexible band 47 thereon adapted to prevent the wheel from slipping against the envelop, the wheel being partially in the aperture 10 and is intended to ush back any en'velops that nay be dragged with the foremost envelop toward the moistening apparatus.

Another shaft 48 is mounted rotatably at its lower end in the shaft hanger 49 secured tothe table and'at its upper end in a journal bearing 50 in the rail 5, a grooved pulley 51 being fixed on the lower portion of the shaft, the groove in the pulley being relatively broad so as to accommodate two round belts. A wheel 52 is fixed on the shaft relatively close to the sill 4 and it has a fiexible band 52 thereon. A similar shaft 54 is rotatively mounted at its lower end in a" shaft bearing 55 secured to the table and at its u'pper end in a journal box 56 in the rail 5p, a grooved pulley 57 being fixed on the -lower portion of the sha-ft. A wheel '58 is secured to the shaft in the plane of the wheel 52 and has aflexible band 59 thereon.

A shaft stand is mounted upon the topv of the table 1 near the forward portion thereof and opposite the shafts 48 and 54, a shaft bearing 61 being mounted on the under side of the table below the stand, and an operating shaft 62 is journaled at its lower end in the shaft bearingtl and at its upper portion in the stand GO, the shaft extending above the stand and having' a'hand wheel (33 fixed thereon and provided with a handle 63 serving` as a crank. A double grooved pulley (S4 is fixed on a shaft G2 below the under side of the table and the pulley has a relatively smaller grooved pulley G5 thereon, the two pulleys preferably being formed integrally, although not necessai-ily so.

A suitable stand (3G is provided which has a base plate (57 supported upon the top of the table 1 and provided at one end thereof with a pivot-hole (38 receiving a pivot (S9 connected to the table, so that the stand may have a slight nlovement toward or from the wheels 52 and 58, the stand being normally pressed toward the wheels by means of a spring 7() in Contact therewith and support.- ed on the stand (l0. The upper portion of'the stand (3G is provided with a socket 71. suitable fontis provided, the forward side 72 of which has a dowel 73 thereon which is inserted removably in the socket 71, the

.table beyond the bottom 77 of the font, andthe guide plate has a guide finger 78 mounted thereon which extends approximately toward the table and the tail end of the ma' lochine for guiding the flap of the envelop away from the guide-plate 76, it being intended that the enyelop shall pass between the guide plate 76 and the wheels 52 and 58.

A shaft bearing 79 is mounted on the y lower portion of the guide plate 76 and a shaft bearing 80 is mounted on the upper portion of the plate 76 below the bottom of the font, preferably by means of screws 81 so as to be removable, and a shaft 82 is mounted rotatably injthe shaft bearings at an inclined angle. the shaft having a suitable cover 83 'thereon of sponge like con-- sistency, such as felt, for moistening the adhesive substance, the upper portion preferably'bein'g thicker than the lower portion,

'/.so as to constitute a conical sponging roll with the larger end uppermost. A tube S4 is secured to the bottom 77 of the font and extends downwardly therethrough and also upward approximately as high as the top of the font.

A feed wick 85 is placed in the tube and extends downward against. the upper end of the sponging roll and also extends over the top of the tube and down approximately to the bottom of the font, 'so

as to feed water by capillary attraction and j permit the water to flow down by gravity through the tube. An arm 86 normally rest-s on the top of the table rearward of l the stand 66, a shorter arm 87 being supf /ported upon the arm 86, and both arms are secured tothe table by means of an adjust ing screw 88 permitting the arms to be adjusted. A roller S9 is mounted rotatably in'upright posit-i n upon the arm S6 and a similar roller 89 `is mounted upon thearm 87, the rollers being opposite the guide! plate 76 and at opposite sides of the 'plane of the sponging lroll. so as to hold the [lap of the envelop closely against the sponging roll. The rollers S9 and S9 preferably are conical in order to correspond to the in tlina tion of the sponging roll or approximately so.

5 Farther along toward the tail end of the table ashaft frame 90 and preferably a Vsimilar fralne 90 are fiXedly mounted upon Qt'he top of the table 1, shaftbearings 91 and 91` being secured to the under side of the Ao0 table. The machine is provided with a pair of pressure rolls for sealing the envelops and preferably two pairs of pressure rolls are provided as illustrated, one roll of each pair being non-adjustable and preferably i5 comprising shafts 92 and 92 rotatably mounted at the lower ends in the shaft supports 91. and 91, respectively, and at the upper ends in the shaft frames 90 and 90, respectively. Rollers 93 and 93 are secured to the shafts and have suitable covers 94 and 94 thereon, respectively, adapted to adhere slightly tothe envelops and to be yielding in character. rlhe lower portions of the shafts have double grooved pulleys 95 and 95 fixed thereon, respectively. The opposite rolls of thepairs are mounted in the upright frame, and journal boxes 96 and96 are mounted movably in the sill 4, journal boxes 97 and 97 being mounted movably in the rail 5, the journal boxes being forced toward the shafts 92 and 92 by means of springs 9S and 98', reA spectively, and rotatably support shafts 99 and 99 on which are rollers 100 and 100 provided with yielding covers 101 and 101, respectively, opposing the yielding covers 94 and 94, so as to firmly press the moistened aps against the envelops while moving the latter toward the tail end of the machine. Another shaft 102 is mounted at a suitable distance beyond the pressure rolls toward the tail end of the machine, and supported in a shaft. bearing 103 secured to the table and in a journal bearing 104 in the rail 5, the lower portion of the shaft having a grooved pulley 105 fixed thereon. A wheel 106 fixed to the shaft above the sill 4 and ithas a fiexiblerim 107 thereon. Preferably another wheel 106 having a flexible rim 107 is fixed also to the shaft above the wheel 106, the wheels being adapted to move the envelope away from the pressure rolls.

The tail end portion of the table is suitably adapted to receive the sealed envelops and preferably has tray 10S supported removably upon the table, the tray having a projection 109 on its under side that extends into a slot 110 formed in thje table. One edge of the tray inserted under a finger 111 on the top of the table and frictionally held thereby. The table has an incline 112 adjacent the sill 4, for raising` the envelope onto the tray. The terminal end portion of the tray has a transverse slot 113 therein, and an abutment 114 of suitable weight is provided and has an upright back plate 115 against which the envelops may be packed, the abutment being arranged obliquely on the tray and'provided with a projection 116 that extends into the groove 11S-l for guiding the abutment forwardly on the tray. The abutment has a stop bar 117 thereon which extends toward the rear side of the table for stopping the envelops evenly. The stop bar slides against the upright end 11S of the tray whereby the abutment is partially guided. i In order to act-nate the different shafts ti t) with the pulle v 95.

in harmony by means of the operating shaft 62 a belt 119 embraces the pulleys 19 and 65; another belt 120 extends about the pulley @vt-5 and in one of the grooves of the pulley G4: and also over the pulley 51 and about the pulley 57 another belt 121 embracing's,r the pulley 95 and extendinginto the other groove of the pulley 64; a belt 122 embracing the pulleys 95 and 05, and another belt 123 is crossed and connects the pulley 105 .lt will be understood, however, that if one pair of pressing rollers only is employed the belt 123 would be con! neeted with the pulley 95.

Preferably a suitable electric motor 121 is secured to the under side of the head end portion of the table, the motor having a main shaft 125 provided with a small pulley 126. A relatively large pulley 127 is mounted rotatably on the shat't 62 and has a dog 12S pivoted thereon and also a spring 129 forcing the dog into contact with the ratchet wheel 130 secured to the shaft, the pulleys 126 and 127 being operatively connected by means ot a belt 131. The arrangement is such, as will be seen, that the operating shaft 62 may be turned by hand without moving the pulley 12T and permitting the motorrto remain at rest, the pulley 12T, however, being turned so as to rotate the shaft when the motor is running in the predetermined direction.

Medium sized envelops 132 extend from the guide plate S to the rib 13, and it will be understood thatI the ollicial sizes of euvelops will ext-end beyond the rib 13 toward the head end ot the machine. .Qullieient space is provided between the pressing rolls and theI stop-bar 11T to receive the larger envelops, and the wheel 106 and the stop-bar 11T are suitably .spaced apart so that. the medium size of envelop shall be moved by the wheel until stopped by the stop-har, 132 indicating the sailed envelops atthe terminal end ol the machine, each envelop havingl a common type ol llap 133.

seen particularly in Fig. the shafts l2. JH. 5l and 102 extend through the sill 1. and it is obvious that thev may be jouriialcd therein and the shaft. laarinj {sl Ali. lt), 55 and 102! dispensed with il` desired: and it will be understotul also that various4 other inmditcations in the details otl construction may l'airly be made within the scope olI thel appended claims.

ln practical use the envelops are placed head down on the table with laps` t'orward, tlaI Icetl ln'ad beingl retracled by hand to recei\e the envelops between the upright' plate T T and th(` rini 1H and rib ll. 'l`he operatingy .shal'l (t2 is rotated so that the rim lt draws the foremost envelop over against. tlnI guide plate Sl and the spring arm 2t). thil envelop passing behind the plate 22 while thel linger l 'forces the llap ol the envelop forward so that it passes forward of the finger 78 and between the sponging roll and the rolls 89 and 89, so that the mucilage or gum becomes moistened, the envelop being moved by the rims 53 and 59 to the pressing rolls which press down the flap while the envelop passes between the rolls and-is pushed along between the plate 115 and the wheel 106 which moves the envelo-ps to their destination on the tray, and it will be observed that as shown in Fig. 1 the angle in which the plate 115 is set leaves the trailing end of the envelop projecting away from the plane ot' the sill 4, so that the next succeeding envelop will readily pass from the pressing rolls between the precedingl envelop and the wheel 106 or 106 to be forced along thereby, the envelops fthus packed against the abutment causing the abutment to move forward. Minor results of operation of the machine will be readily understood from a perusal of description of construction of the several parts and functions thereof without further explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is-

1. An envelop lnoistener 'including a supported guide plate, a feed wheel rotatable at one side of the guide plate, a moistening roll rotatably mounted on the opposite side ot the guide plate, `and two guide rolls mounted also on the opposite side of'the guide plate in a plane beyond the axis of the moistening roll and acting adjacent to and in conjunction with the moist'ening roll.

2. An envelop moistener including a supported guide plate` a feed roll rotatable at one side of the guide plate, a tapering moistening roll rotatably mounted on the opposite side ot' the guide plate with its larger end uppermost and a `guide linger supported also on the opposite side of the guide plate and (,xtending downwardly and also Outwardly therefrom and toward the portion of the moistening roll that is tarthermost from the guide plate.

il. An envelop nioistencr including a guide plate. two Feed rolls rotatable at one side; ot' the guide plate. means tor holding the guide plate yieldingly against the feed rolls, a meistening roll rotatably and removably mounted on the opposite side o't' the guide plate, and two guide rollsmounted adjustably also on the opposite side ot the guide plate in a plane beyond the axis -of the moistening roll and acting adjacent to and in conjunction with the moistening roll.

l. .\n envelop moistener including an upi rightly supported guide plate, a t'eed roll rotatable at one side ol' the guide plate, a moistening roll rotatably mounted at an in- 'elined angle on the opposite side of the guide plate, the upper end ot the roll being tarther than the lower end thereof from the plate, and two tapering guide 'rolls rotawill 4 /between the a tably supported in a plane beyond the axis of the moistening' roll from the guide plate, the smaller ends of the guide rolls being uppermost, the two rolls acting adjacent. to and in conjunction with the moistening roll.

An envelop mounted on the table, a font mdunted on the stand and haringa guide plateythereon, a pair of feed rolls mounted on the table at the farther side o'i the guide plate from the stand, a, '-nring supported substantially on the tabl,Y '1d pressing` the stand toward the feed rolls, a moistening roll rotatably mounted on the guide plate at the farther side thereof from the feed rolls, and afeeder er;- tending from the font to the moistening loll.

t5. An envelop moistener and sealer including a fontj` a nioisteningroll rotatably mounted below the font, means for feeding liquid from the tent to the moistening roll, a movable t'eed lieathouitling means opposed tothe feed head, feed wheelS for moving the envelop from the guiding means to the moisteningv roll, a guide plate for guiding the envelop behind the font, a guide for ,guiding` the flap of the envelop forward of the guide plate to the 'tlartlier .side of the moistening roll. and a. pair ot pressing rolle mounted beyond the moisteninga rolle. r

l. n envelop moistener including a table, a stand and an upright. trame mounted oppositely upon the table, a t'eed wheel rotatably mounted in the frame, a guide roll niounted on the table approximately oppo site the feed wheel, a 'lont' mounted on the stand and having a downward extending guide plate thereon -supported adjaeent to the leed wheel, a moistening roll rotatably mounted on the farther side ot' the guide plate trom the leed wheel and in proximity to the `:guide roll to act in conjunction with the latter, and a guide {in er mounted on the guide plate and extending therein/iur approximately to the molstenmn' roll.

tl. illu envelop lnoistener ineluding a table, a `stand and an upright trame mounted op poSitely upon the table, two ileed wheels mounted in the trame," two guide rolls mounted on the table subsltantially opposite the feed. wheels, atout removably mounted on the stand and buying,- a guide plate thereon extending opposite the feed wheels, a moistening roll rotatably mounted on the guide plate. between the plat e and the plane ot tl :axes ot the `nitide rolltl and adiaeently to the guido rollfs loaet in eonjunetion tht-1e with, and a `guide linger mounted on the guide plate and extendingtoward the plane of the n1oi:-:tenin;; roll and the axes ol1 the ,duide rolls.

dn envelop moi -;t.ener ineludiue a table, a. stand mrmnted on the. table, a lont mounted on the stand and having n tube eonneeted moistener including a, table, a stand having a base platte pivotally to the bottom thereof and extending upward in the lt'ont, a guide plate connected to the tont and having two shaft bearings thereon, a shatt rotatably mounted in the bearings and haring an absorbent covering thereon, a guide linger on the guide plate extending therefrom toward the farther side of the shaft cove-ring, a feed wick in the tube extending` to the absorbent coveringand also over the top of the tube toward the bottom of the tout, and guiding devices mounted on the table opposite the guide plate.

l0. An envelop moistener including` a pair of rotatable feed wheels, a stand adiustably mounted opposite the plane of the axes of the wheels, a spring suitably Supported and forcing the stand toward the wheels, a font mounted on the stand, a guide plate extending downward from the t'ontv and supported thereby against the feed wheels, a meistening roll mounted opposite the guide plate at the farther side thereotl from the feed wheels, a pair ot guide rolls mounted in a plane on the side ot' the guide plateat which the n'ioistening roll is mounted and beyond the axis ot the moist @ning roll, and a guide finger extending from the guide plate toward the plane between the axes ot the guide rolls and the moistening roll.

lvl. An envelop moistener and sealer ineluding a table, an upright trame on the table having a longitudinal ,guide plate on one end portion thereof, a stop trame mounted on the table beyond the end portion of the trame, a spring-arm mounted on the stop trame and extending opposite the longitudinal guide plate, the spring arm having a A,euide plate thereon provided with a projecting tinge' and also a flaring tlane'e extendingl from the linger adjacent the longitudinal guide plate, a feed wheel mounted on the table, a mointfening roll rotatably mounted on the table beyond the end ot the spring arm.

l2. An envelop moist'ener and sealer ineludingA an oblong table having` an uprighty frame thereon extemling,` lonnitudinallyr thereof. a feed wheel and a moiateningr roll rotatably. mounted beyond the plane ot one Hide ot' the trame, two tred wheels mounted in the traine, a guide plate mounted vieldingly against the two toed wheels, a moisteninnl Vroll mounted on the lruido plate, a guide linger extending trom the guide plate toward the `larther side ol' the moisteninje: roll7 meansI Vtor,conducting4 liquid to the moisteningg' roll, a pressing roll rotatably mounted upon the table opposite the plane ol the trame` and a pressing roll rotatably mounted adjuntably in the 't1-ame.

lil. iin envelop moixtener and sealer inrlndinn` a table, a moistening' roll and a tout and also preeine rollsmouuted on the table, a plurality ol feed rolls mounted on the table to move the envelop, a backing` llO wheel rotatably mounted near one of the and engaged by the dog, a motor mounted feed wheels, an operating shaft mounted on on the table, a belt connected with the motor the table, a dual pulley secured to the opandthe power-pulley, and a crank connected erating shaft, drive pulleys for the feed to the operating shaft. y 5 rolls and the backing roll, one for each and In testimony whereof, I ax my signature 15 operatively connected therewith, belts con- 1n presence of tWo witnesses. meeting the drive ulleys With the dual WLLAM A. SHOULTS, pulley, a poWer-pul ey Arotative on the op- VVitnesses: eratng shaft and having a dog thereon, a P. A. HAVELICK, l0 ratchet Wheel secured to the operating shaft E. T. SILVIUS, 

